🔗 Share this article

Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after coming back from a extended period in New Zealand after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts in a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a international fixture versus the Kiwis. This led to seizures while off the field, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain left the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The team revealed this week that Katoa has now come back and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the care of our club doctor and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player is improving each day and is eager to pursuing his recovery in a home environment.

However, the executive confirmed that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“In consultation with our medical team and neuro specialists, Katoa won't be back to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and club, and that the Storm family will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its inquiry into the circumstances that led to the required neurosurgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine for the international contest.

Despite this, Katoa was allowed to play in the game and endured two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the sport in recent years, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.